WASHINGTON (21 November 2005)ó
IEEE-USA applauds Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.)
for introducing legislation that attempts to
correct some of the "serious problems" in the
H-1B temporary visa program.

Rep. Pascrell's bill, H.R. 4378, the Defend
the American Dream Act of 2005, introduced
on 17 November, is designed to provide greater
workforce protections for U.S. citizens and H-1B
visa holders. It would require all employers,
not just so-called "H-1B-dependent companies,"
to attest to
good-faith efforts to actively recruit U.S.
workers for jobs employers propose to fill with
H-1B workers. And it prohibits the outplacement
(i.e., outsourcing, leasing or contracting) of
H-1B workers by H-1B employers to other
companies.

"In report after report, government
investigators have found serious weaknesses and
failings in the H-1B program," IEEE-USA
President Gerard A. Alphonse said. "Contrary to
the law's intent, the program can be used to
fill any job at almost any wage, and the vast
majority of employers are not
required to recruit American workers first.
IEEE-USA applauds Rep. Pascrell for drafting a
bill that addresses these serious problems."

In evaluating the H-1B program for the FY 2006
budget cycle, the federal Office of Management
and Budget found, "The [current H-1B] statute
waives a labor market test, does not require
submission of supporting documentation by
employers, [and] limits the Department of
Laborís authority to review or question
[applications]... [leaving] the program
vulnerable to fraud or abuse." According to
IEEE-USA, Rep. Pascrell's bill will fix these
flaws and ensure that the statute aligns with
the intent of the program.

The bill also seeks to strengthen prevailing
wage protections for foreign workers because, as
viewed by IEEE-USA, the current protections are
ineffective and can be easily taken advantage of
by employers seeking to pay lower wages than
they would pay to comparably skilled Americans.
Rep.
Pascrell highlighted the bill at a news
conference held earlier today (on 21 Nov.) in
Paterson, N.J.

IEEE-USA advances the public good and promotes
the careers and public policy interests of the
more than 220,000 engineers, scientists and
allied professionals who are U.S. members of the
IEEE. IEEE-USA is part of the IEEE, the world's
largest technical professional society with
360,000 members in 150 countries. For more
information, go to
www.ieeeusa.org.